Eye on AI: Voice cloning is easy and effective

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Imagine a world where your voice, your unique sound, could be replicated with astonishing accuracy, leading to potential risks and repercussions. CBS 58's Bill Walsh demonstrates how easy AI voice cloning is, using a laptop and a web-based service called Eleven Labs.

The research and editing a clean voice sample took a couple of hours, the act of voice cloning was incredibly simple: just dragging and dropping an audio file onto the website.

The results? Listen for yourself. Here's CBS 58 News Director Jessie Garcia on a news department promotion airing on our station:

Compare that to the AI-generated voice, in which Bill directs the "fake Jessie" to compliment his work and give him a raise. CLICK HERE to listen. 

While there are benefits to this technology, there are also reports of scams using AI-cloned voices have already hit Wisconsin.

It appears this technology is easier to use than ever and will improve over time. Another example of how AI holds promise, and the potential for danger.